My beloved left her UK based travel card - in an ATM and it was swallowed ((  It was a Siam bank ATM at a 7/11.  I just transferred the money and stopped the card.

 

It was a good way of drawing cash as *I* loaded it ( currency conversion in UK) and it had a Thai Baht 'wallet' - so she could draw Baht, relatively cheaply

 

While she awaits a replacement card she drew 1000 Baht and was WACKED for 220 Baht ( 'access fee' plus a currency exchange rate that would make one weep 

 

Can any UK expat / regular Tourist advise the best way to move UK GBP to Baht without getting savaged ?

 

She is there for nearly two months and I'll be coming and going, so will take out the 'best' card 

 

 

Thanks in anticipation 

 

 

Transferwise.

 

https://transferwise.com

Edited March 2, 20197 yr by NCC1701A

If she has a Thai bank account then send a lump sum via SWIFT  from your UK bank to hers

( send in UK pounds don't let them convert first)

Thanks for the responses, but:

 

1/ she is a tourist - no Thai bank account ..Can she open one ? 

 

2/ Getting the money to Thailand is not the issue - ( I can send money instantly via paysend.com / a UK to UK transfer - and withdrawing using a std UK debit card ) it's getting it OUT without the MASSIVE fees is the issue ((

2 minutes ago, msmoby said:

she is a tourist - no Thai bank account ..Can she open one ? 

Ohh sorry thought she was Thai....even so she may be able to open a Thai bank account, though recent reports suggest its become much harder to do so without a long term visa..the trick is to keep trying banks until you find a "friendly" one  then get local ATM card which doesn't get hit with the outrageous (300 odd baht)

overseas card fee...+ the UK bank fee.

 

I read Bank of China cards don't get charged the ATM fee is she Chinese ??? ????

9 minutes ago, msmoby said:

Thanks for the responses, but:

 

1/ she is a tourist - no Thai bank account ..Can she open one ? 

 

2/ Getting the money to Thailand is not the issue - ( I can send money instantly via paysend.com / a UK to UK transfer - and withdrawing using a std UK debit card ) it's getting it OUT without the MASSIVE fees is the issue ((

Get the money out over the counter to avoid the ATM charge 

There is one bank maybe SCB  but can't exactly remember who will let you take a credit or debit card and do an "over the counter cash withdrawal"  without charging,  you still get hit at the UK end though.

Just now, johng said:

There is one bank maybe SCB  but can't exactly remember who will let you take a credit or debit card and do an "over the counter cash withdrawal"  without charging,  you still get hit at the UK end though.

Most banks can do the over the counter transaction , it just depends on whether they have a hand held card reader in store

56 minutes ago, msmoby said:

WACKED for 220 Baht ( 'access fee' plus a currency exchange rate that would make one weep 

 

The fee is fixed, so withdraw the maximum the card will allow (most machines max at 20,000 Baht, some at 25,000).

 

Also, do NOT accept the dynamic currency conversion, if you say no you still get the cash but at a better rate.

 

EDIT Similarly, if you use a foreign card to buy something the machine will often offer home currency or Baht. ALWAYS take the Baht option it's cheaper.

Absolutely Transferwise.  I got totally sick of losing 220 Bhat every time I used my UK debit card in an ATM.  Cash transfer to my Thai bank now costs me less with Transferwise than just one UK debit card fee.  

12 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Absolutely Transferwise.  I got totally sick of losing 220 Bhat every time I used my UK debit card in an ATM.  Cash transfer to my Thai bank now costs me less with Transferwise than just one UK debit card fee.  

Except .. sighs .. as previously mentioned ... !

1/ No Thai bank account - we are tourists ))

 

2/ Can send money instantly .. Transferwise is slow compared to paysend.com or simply transferring between UK bank accounts 

 

 

The issue is getting the cash out...without being rilped off.

Edited March 2, 20197 yr by msmoby
Clarity

https://tastythailand.com/how-to-avoid-paying-200-baht-thai-bank-atm-fee/             

If one has a CashPassport Debit Card; the fees are:

 - the usual 220 baht at the Thai end

 - plus an equivalent to 80 Baht charge back home on your Statement.

 

 - ditto agree with Crossy, about the not asking for Currency Conversion Dynamic!

It was weird last November... finally relented and let Mrs some more cash out, but need to access the Cash Passport.

I had even already made the Default Currency as Thai baht, plus had an actual ThB wallet in the account.

 She pressed Yes (before I could stop her) for the Conversion to be done!. A convesrion from ThB to ThB was Billed! 

 

23 minutes ago, sanemax said:

it just depends on whether they

It also depends if they charge for that service or not ????

33 minutes ago, johng said:

Ohh sorry thought she was Thai....

 

I read Bank of China cards don't get charged the ATM fee is she Chinese ??? ????

))

 

Not Chinese....Russian...

 

 

We were being charged only 64 Baht when using the already converted Thai Baht on The UK based post office travel card and NOT accepting conversion!

 

 

5 minutes ago, johng said:

It also depends if they charge for that service or not ????

As far as I'm aware , there is no charge for that service 

24 minutes ago, msmoby said:

Except .. sighs .. as previously mentioned ... !

1/ No Thai bank account - we are tourists ))

 

2/ Can send money instantly .. Transferwise is slow compared to paysend.com or simply transferring between UK bank accounts 

 

 

The issue is getting the cash out...without being rilped off.

Um, trying to be helpful here.  How about approaching a bank branch and explaining the issue.  Others have managed to start a Thai bank account  with just  a tourist visa. Long shot probably,but maybe worth a try. Maybe the bank  here can help on a temporary basis, for a fee.  It's worth asking.  Sorry I can't be more helpful.  

3 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Um, trying to be helpful here.  How about approaching a bank branch and explaining the issue.  Others have managed to start a Thai bank account  with just  a tourist visa. Long shot probably,but maybe worth a try. Maybe the bank  here can help on a temporary basis, for a fee.  It's worth asking.  Sorry I can't be more helpful.  

Thanks,  seems that until she gets a replacement card, trying to open an account is the best bet!

Just now, msmoby said:

Thanks,  seems that until she gets a replacement card, trying to open an account is the best bet!

Why doesnt she go and get her card back from the ATM ?

1 minute ago, msmoby said:

Thanks,  seems that until she gets a replacement card, trying to open an account is the best bet!

good luck. If you get refused at first just keep trying other branches. 

1 hour ago, msmoby said:

Thanks for the responses, but:

 

1/ she is a tourist - no Thai bank account ..Can she open one ? 

 

2/ Getting the money to Thailand is not the issue - ( I can send money instantly via paysend.com / a UK to UK transfer - and withdrawing using a std UK debit card ) it's getting it OUT without the MASSIVE fees is the issue ((

several bank branch offices let you withdraw cash with credit card over counter rather than via ATM,

fees are negligible

 

if she has an American Express card, use that in ATMs, fee 50 baht,

and Amex offers an exchange rate far superior to Master and Visa.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 2, 20197 yr by melvinmelvin
typo

4 minutes ago, sanemax said:

Why doesnt she go and get her card back from the ATM ?

Because it was an ATM outside a 7/11 and when she went next day to a Siam bank there were lots of shrugs and evetually told card would be destroyed ..Hence it was stopped and new one ordered from UK ((

 

Can you imagine the scene? Russian speakung English to Thai and Husband on Skype switfly using Google translate and sending output to second mobile phone on whatsapp... ))

Are you sure AMEX cards only get charged 50 baht ? Why everyone else 220++

 So is she travelling with just 1 ATM card? If yes, she/you should know better.

8 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 So is she travelling with just 1 ATM card? If yes, she/you should know better.

She has two credit cards and three debit cards, avaiable, still..The issue is the WITHDRAWAL FEES to get local currency ( and your failing to read or imagining stuff not suggested...) 

 

Once again, my thanks to all who responded, having READ what I asked..))

1 minute ago, msmoby said:

She has two credit cards and three debit cards, avaiable, still..The issue is the WITHDRAWAL FEES to get local currency ( and your failing to read or imagining stuff not suggested...) 

 

Once again, my thanks to all who responded, having READ what I asked..))

 

The problem is that you are not reading either....

 

You can utilise a credit card, not a debit card, to obtain cash advances over the counter, without incurring a withdrawal fee. This in fact is the best and quickest method. It has been written here twice already.

 

The other thing is the Cash Passport. No! They are bad.

 

Back to the credit card option. It should be one that doesn't charge forex or withdrawal fees itself.

Examples include, Halifax Clarity, Creation Everyday, Barclaycard Platinum Travel, Barclaycard Platinum Cashback Plus, Santander Zero....

 

So if she has any of those cards, her problems are solved.

 

Once again, Cash Passport....No! You were badly advised.

50 minutes ago, johng said:

Are you sure AMEX cards only get charged 50 baht ? Why everyone else 220++

 

Because not Visa nor Mastercard. But credit card over the counter is best. You need to stop 'advising' people to do so with debit cards and especially suggesting that SCB will do it, when actually they are the ones that charge you even if you take over the counter. 180 baht admin charge last time I saw someone's receipt.

Edited March 2, 20197 yr by KneeDeep

 
Because not Visa nor Mastercard. But credit card over the counter is best. You need to stop 'advising' people to do so with debit cards and especially suggesting that SCB will do it, when actually they are the ones that charge you even if you take over the counter. 180 baht admin charge last time I saw someone's receipt.

I've done it with debit card before and specifically said I can't remember which bank it was that don't charge a fee for doing "over the counter withdrawal"


Also I understand that its the Thai banking association that sets the ATM fee regardless of whether its a AMEX,VISA,MASTERCARD,card however I bow to your superior wisdom and will stop advice forthwith.

15 minutes ago, KneeDeep said:

 

The problem is that you are not reading either....

 

You can utilise a credit card, not a debit card, to obtain cash advances over the counter, without incurring a withdrawal fee. This in fact is the best and quickest method. It has been written here twice already.

 

The other thing is the Cash Passport. No! They are bad.

 

Back to the credit card option. It should be one that doesn't charge forex or withdrawal fees itself.

Examples include, Halifax Clarity, Creation Everyday, Barclaycard Platinum Travel, Barclaycard Platinum Cashback Plus, Santander Zero....

 

So if she has any of those cards, her problems are solved.

 

Once again, Cash Passport....No! You were badly advised.

Dear Knee deep

 

Barclays charge a minimum of £2.99 or 2.99 percent..whichever is greater AND there is still a fee charged at the ATM....The cheapest soln. was the travelcard

 

iF you had taken the fime to READ, hou would have understood my frustration with scorecard was the suggestion of no other means to get cash....?!

If you are confused about the Cash Passport, look at it this way, even if you somehow managed to avoid the ATM charge because the money is already in Thai baht, look at the exchange rate.

Currently Travelex is offering 39.5604 baht to the Pound.

Whereas the Mastercard rate for the 1st of March is 41.86729

 

So you are losing more than 2.3 baht for every Pound against withdrawing over the counter with a fee free Mastercard. That is 5.5p. So you are losing 5.5% of everything that you put on to the Cash Passport and that is before your supposed 64 baht withdrawal charge(which does not at all make any sense).

 

So whoever told you that utilising Cash Passport for Thailand is a bit of a clown. As it would be cheaper to utilise a standard fee free card from an ATM.

 

Let's look at that. Say £200 from a Thai ATM. With Cash Passport, your costs are 5.5% plus a claimed 64 baht. So £11(using the Mastercard rate as a benchmark) 460.50 + 64 baht equalling 524.5 baht. The same withdrawal using an ATM will cost you 220 baht....so what were you thinking?

You are literally throwing your money away.